Cleaning Hacks to Keep Your Kitchen Sparkling

The kitchen gets more use than perhaps any other space within the home. It’s an area that’s therefore prone to getting dirty often, and for that reason it’s paramount that you keep it clean. It might require plenty of time and elbow grease to clean your kitchen, but there are some simple hacks that can cut that time in half and keep your kitchen looking spotless all the time with minimal effort. Here are DecoGlaze’s best tips for keeping your kitchen sparkling clean, most of the time.

Have a checklist

Cleaning your kitchen can seem like a daunting task, and that stops a lot of us from beginning the job, leaving the kitchen dirty for longer. The reason it seems so daunting, time consuming, and tiresome is due to not having a proper cleaning system in place. A simple checklist for cleaning and tidying the kitchen will ensure you systematically move through each part of the kitchen without it seeming like an incredible chore.

Stone benchtops

Stains on stone benchtops can often be stubborn, particularly when left there for awhile. Use hydrogen peroxide, water, and a small amount of ammonia to get rid of these tough stains. Small scuffs or scratches can often be lightly buffed away with a superfine ball of steel wool.

Tiles

Baking soda and water is one of the best possible solutions for cleaning tiles. A good scrub with a mop or sponge, using this solution, should be enough to bring up that sparkly finish that’s been missing from your tiles since you first had them installed.

Cast iron pans

Fundamental to any kitchen is a set of cast iron pans, however these can become dirty after years of use. To bring them back to new, heat up the pans with 2 tablespoons of oil, then add 3 tablespoons of salt. Scour the pan using tongs to avoid the heat, and then rinse off. A coat of vegetable oil is also usually a good idea to cure the surface.

Wooden floors

Over time, wooden floors can become tarnished and faded, particularly those in high traffic areas like the kitchen. To bring back their shine, you can create your own natural floor cleaner using white vinegar. As a guide, one part vinegar to nine parts water usually does the trick.

Wall stains

Walls can suffer the effects of cooking, with stains eventually splattered all over. Water based stains can be cleaned with a wet paper towel, and oil based stains can benefit from just a single drop of dishwashing liquid and water.

Fixtures

Metal and brass fixtures can tarnish over time, and bringing them back to their former glory is simply a matter of dabbing some tomato sauce on a towel and buffing accordingly. Rinse to reveal a shiny surface!

Oven

The oven can be a nightmare, particularly when there’s a buildup of grease stains. Your best bet here is to make your own cleaning paste. Use baking soda and warm water to create the paste and apply it all over the oven, avoiding metal and plug holes with foil. Leave this overnight to let it work its magic, and then scrape off the dried paste with a spatula. If it’s hard to scrape off the paste, use some warm water to soften, then give it a final rinse. To get rid of smells, fill a baking dish with water and lemon and leave it in the oven (turned on) for about an hour.

Gas burners

To clean gas burners, remove them from the stove and put them in a ziplock bag with some ammonia overnight. The fumes from the ammonia will loosen grime, and a simple rinse with warm water and dishwashing liquid will be enough to clean them afterwards.

Sink

The sink is a core part of the kitchen, and for that reason it should always be sparkling. Sprinkle some baking soda over the surface and then scrub. Rinse away the residue to leave a sparkling clean sink and drain. Another option is to sprinkle fresh lemon juice and salt instead of baking soda. The benefit of this is the resulting fresh citrus smell.

It’s also important to disinfect your sink. Spray a small amount of vinegar followed by hydrogen peroxide, and let it air dry. Do this before shining your sink for best results.

The best way to ensure your kitchen is always sparkling clean is to give it a regular, good clean up each week. Have a daily routine that involves wiping down surfaces, doing the dishes, and anything else that can keep it tidy in between cleans. The longer you leave the cleaning, the worse the kitchen will be, so good habits are fundamental to an organised household and clean kitchen space. Let’s have a look at some fun ways to incorporate a little fresh greenery into your kitchen all year round.

Larger items such as ovens and stoves can be done on a less regular basis, but using these tips to ensure they are thoroughly cleaned can save you time and money. A sparkling clean kitchen will do wonders for your mood, the presentation of your home, as well as the health and hygiene of your family.